North Carolina star Caleb Wilson could be the second pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Front office executives around the NBA increasingly believe UNC star Caleb Wilson could be the second player taken in June's draft, according to Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports.
In his latest mock draft, O'Connor has Wilson going to the Atlanta Hawks to play with Jalen Johnson.
"Front office executives around the NBA increasingly believe Wilson could be the second player taken in June’s draft. While his exact spot won’t be clear until after the Draft Lottery, once each pick is determined, some teams value the high-flying North Carolina freshman above the more ground-bound Cam Boozer from Duke. Others view Wilson as having similarly high upside as Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with dramatically lower downsides due to Peterson’s availability concerns.
"If there’s one thing the Hawks could use it’s an athletic big to pair in the frontcourt with Onyeka Okongwu, or serve as an alternate lone big on the floor. And Wilson is arguably the most gifted athlete in the draft class. He's 6-10 with springs for legs, and when he's flying above the rim, finishing through contact and chasing down everything in his area code, he looks like a future cornerstone. But the case against Wilson is pretty clear too. Despite all his positives, he hasn’t shown consistency as a shooter at any level. That would matter less on the Hawks, though, given they can utilize lineups with shooting at every other spot on the floor. Wilson’s other defining traits on their own would provide star-level upside to an already emerging Atlanta roster."
Wilson appeared in 24 games for UNC this season. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from beyond the arc and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
Wilson was named a second-team Associated Press All-American, a distinction that will ensure that he will be included among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.
Wilson announced on X that he's declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft. Here is what the youngster said:
"What's up Tar Heel nation. It's Caleb here," Wilson said. "This past year has been the most fun year of my life. Although it has been filled with a lot of growth and adversity, I will always cherish this university and the people that make this place what it is. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to represent North Carolina. Wearing No. 8, running out of that historic tunnel every day for practice and games and I'm happy to say every day I gave it my all.
"Lastly, I would like to thank my family, coaches, fans and support system, especially my head coach, the Godfather of Chapel Hill Hoots and my academic advisor Jenn, who always checked on me in my toughest times. With that being said, I will declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. Go Heels."
Many draft scouts have compared Wilson to six-time NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal. If Wilson can have a career like O'Neal's, that would be a massive success.
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